


Straight Through My Heart

by MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Enemy Spy AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-20 04:09:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11912925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenOne/pseuds/MarvelousMenagerie
Summary: Bucky signed up to work for SHIELD to make it easier to protect Steve. If only he hadn't fallen for Tony Stark who turned out to be an enemy agent, Bucky would have a fantastic record at keeping Steve out of harm's way. At least he isn't going to make the same mistake twice.“I told you if I ever saw you again I’d shoot you,” Bucky reminds him.“You said you wouldn’t hesitate to shoot me in the face.” Tony flicks his gaze from Bucky’s eyes to the gun that is still aimed at his chest. “You’re hesitating.”





	1. Chapter 1

“This is suicide.”

“Tony, Tony. Don’t underestimate yourself. You’ll come out of this. You always do.”

“You need me. If I’m dead you won’t have me.”

“What I need is for you to fix this. If you hadn’t screwed it up in the first place, we wouldn’t be here would we?”

 

* * *

 

Words swim in front of Bucky and he doesn’t fight his head dropping onto the table in front of him with a thump. His eyes, now closed, start to ache as his body tries to remind him how tired he is.

“Just go home, Buck,” Steve sighs.

Bucky rolls his head back and forth on the table, even as his nose smushes into the papers. He’s probably leaving marks on the paragraphs of the post-action report that Bucky is supposed to review and sign off on, but he doesn’t open his eyes to see. Finishing up overdue paperwork as a way to force himself to stay awake had admittedly not been his best plan.

“Not the end of my shift,” he mumbles into the table.

Taps against the back of his head cause Bucky to jerk up, hand reaching for a knife.

“It is now,” Natasha says as she smoothly slides out of reach.

Bucky shoots an accusatory glance at Steve, who’s almost-smirk wrecks the innocent look he’d tried to project. He’s not sure what Steve has promised Natasha to get her to come early, but this will probably come back to bite Bucky in the ass later. He’s afraid to ask - a week of his lunches? Dessert every day for a month? Coffee whenever she demands? His pulse now racing from being startled, Bucky thinks about holding out for the rest of the hour that is supposed to be his.

One look at Natasha has him reconsidering. Bucky should’ve been alert enough to register her entering the conference room, and she knows it too, even if it is Natasha. Ducking his head in admonishment, Bucky gathers his papers together. He’ll pay his dues, or maybe find a way to switch the punishment back over to Steve when he’s capable of thinking again.

“Fine, fine. I can tell when I’m not wanted,” Bucky sniffs as he levers himself to his feet.

“Finally,” Steve teases.

Bucky rolls his eyes. “Good luck with him. You’ll need it,” he shoots at Natasha in revenge.

Natasha snorts as she takes a seat, one between Steve and the door.

“Get out of here,” is Steve’s only reply, accompanied with a shooing motion. “Go home. Sleep,” he orders.

“Stop giving me orders, punk. I don’t answer to you,” Bucky says. He takes the extra steps needed to ruffle Steve’s hair. Suitably mussed, Bucky dodges Steve’s defensive pushes and grabs his papers before heading for the door.

“Go home!” Steve shouts at him one last time as Bucky closes the conference door behind him.

Bucky rolls his eyes to the ceiling, but the idea of home causes his chest to ache. By the time he makes it to his desk to dump his paperwork Bucky can no longer resist the idea. He heads for the exit rather than the sheet-covered cardboard trying to pass as a bunk in the back of SHIELD that he’s been attempting to sleep on for the past few days.

Steve will be pleased, Bucky tells himself as an excuse as he swipes his badge to let him exit. Bucky can let Steve gloat about his ability to successfully take care of Bucky, if it makes Steve happier, especially now. After all, it’s Bucky’s fault that Steve is holed up in SHIELD until the threat level recedes again - and it means that Bucky can fall into his own bed, his own sheets, and fall asleep. He’s almost drooling as he thinks about it.

The commute home zaps the rest of his energy. Bucky can seem like he’s about to fall asleep on the subway, but as a SHIELD agent he has to be aware of his surroundings. Also neither Natasha or Clint would ever let him live it down if he got made, and then there’s the fact that Steve would be sad.

But finally, finally, Bucky makes it to his complex and trudges up the stairs to his apartment. He unlocks the door and pushes it in with a heartfelt sigh when he hears the TV on and playing.

Bucky freezes.

_I’m sure Luke wasn’t on that thing when it blew._

_I know. I can feel it._

Rage courses through Bucky, washing away his exhaustion. As the sounds from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi continue, Bucky stalks into his apartment and doesn’t bother masking the slamming of the door behind him. He doesn’t need the element of surprise, not with the TV blaring like that. He grabs one of his knives and has it out and ready, but the hallway remains empty as he reaches under the little stand Steve had said he needed for decor. It holds a dish for his keys and a bigger bowl that he was supposed to fill with colored rocks or something, but mostly it holds receipts and coupons and, if he’s lucky, a few stray pieces of candy. It also holds a gun taped to the underside, and Bucky finds it now. Heavy enough to be loaded, he notes with satisfaction and a touch of suspicion, before striding down the hallway.

He passes through the kitchen and counts the knives in his chef’s block. All are accounted for, but it makes his anger grow. The Glock in his hand is out and aimed at the person lounging on his couch as he crosses into the living room.

“You got a death wish?” Bucky spits out. He circles around so that he can see Tony face to face as well as aim the gun at his chest.

“Shhh, you’re missing the happy ending,” Tony chides, his eyes still on the screen.

Shooting the TV screen would be a very effective warning, Bucky thinks, but it’s his own screen and he doesn’t want to reach Steve G. Rogers’ level of dramatics yet. He should simply shoot Tony and be done with it, but he still has enough energy left to manage curiosity.

“I told you if I ever saw you again I’d shoot you,” Bucky reminds him.

Tony sighs and uses the remote to shut the TV off where Han Solo and Leia were kissing. Bucky stays alert, but Tony sets the remote on the coffee table and leans back into the couch without reaching for the Beretta P4X on the table. A light handgun and easily concealed, and Tony had even helpfully taken out the clip and laid out the bullets, all in a line, a few inches away. Perfectly harmless, Bucky sneers in his head.

“You said you wouldn’t hesitate to shoot me in the face.” Tony flicks his gaze from Bucky’s eyes to the gun that is still aimed at his chest. “You’re hesitating.”

The smile on Tony’s face doesn’t improve Bucky’s mood. He allows himself a sliver of remorse before he throws his knife. It buries itself in the couch, a whisper away from Tony’s neck.

“Don’t tempt me,” Bucky growls as he gets a second one in hand and shows Tony.

Tony raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t reach for the knife. “ _I_ was always the one who hated this couch.”

Bucky snarls. “The next words out of your mouth better be the reason you’re here, or this one is getting slammed into your brain through your eyeball.”

Bucky sees Tony bite back another quip, and then Tony turns away to look at the blank TV screen for a moment. When he turns back to Bucky, he collapses a little. As if Tony was as tired as Bucky feels.

“Look... before. I know what I did was shitty, okay?” Tony pauses, but Bucky stares him down. With a sigh, Tony continues, “But I wanted... I thought.... I know it’s stupid, but I thought we could start over. No business. Just us.”

“You’re right, that is stupid,” Bucky growls. “Try the other one.” People with Bucky’s job rarely get fooled once, because if they do they end up dead. He’d been lucky to escape with his life, and more importantly Steve’s life, and Bucky certainly isn’t going to put either of those on the line for a second run. Fooled on a honeypot mission, of all things - he deserved much more than the demotion he got. But damn it, he had _liked_ Tony, and more than just because he’s really pretty naked.

But Tony is the reason that Steve is locked down at SHIELD until further notice, and Bucky tries hard not to think about what he’ll have to do if Fury decides that it’s forever. Bucky’s fault, Bucky’s fault, Bucky’s fault. He may not have been the one who signed him up for that damned science experiment - Steve had done that all on his own - but it was Bucky’s job to protect him. Officially his profession now, too, since Bucky joined up with SHIELD to prevent Steve from getting buried in a secret government base.

Damn Erksine and that damn serum. If it had actually worked like it should’ve, Steve could protect himself - at least physically - from everyone who was trying to get him. But it was like the serum got used up healing the scoliosis and heart problems that all it did was enhance Steve’s memory. Steve was supposed to be the beginning of a  super spy army, but then Erksine was assassinated and they only have a man who still gets asthma attacks after running a mile.

So Bucky ended his tour and signed up with SHIELD to prevent anyone from draining Steve dry to try to replicate the serum. Agreeing to room with Steve - like old times - meant that Steve had a live-in bodyguard and could leave SHIELD, have a life, without protection against kidnapping or assassination.

Then Bucky fell for Tony. He’d fallen hard, and Tony turned out to be an enemy agent after Steve.

“I brought tacos,” Tony offers with a small smile, there and gone again.

“From Chela’s?” Bucky asks before he can stop himself. “You remember that all on your own or did your handler help you with that?” he finishes snidely.

Tony snorts. “It’s hard to forget hot sauce like that. I left them in the oven on low, so they should still be warm.”

Warm tacos from Chela’s. It’s not quite as good as fresh from the truck, but it’s pretty damn close. After eating at SHIELD for the last few days, it’s practically heaven.

It’s a bribe, Bucky reminds himself. “And if I shot you first then maybe my apartment would burn down with me in it? Nice,” he shoots back as he gestures for Tony to get up. “Anything else you laid around for a surprise?” And it’s ridiculous that Bucky had had thoughts about giving this man a key to his place. If he wasn’t living with Steve, he would have, but apparently Tony didn’t need one anyway.

“The only other things I brought with me are my best blowjob eyes and as many apologies as you want,” Tony says as he gets off the couch and heads for the kitchen.

Bucky gives Tony no warning before he bodily slams him into the wall and pressing his gun into Tony’s neck. He sheathes his knife and uses his free hand to frisk Tony for any additional weapons than the Beretta they’d left on the table.

“I’m not going to apologize for enjoying this,” Tony warns as Bucky pats down his back and then his front. He finds a small knife hidden around Tony’s ankle which Bucky proceeds to pocket. Still, Bucky isn’t entirely assured. He keeps his gun trained on Tony.

“Belt off,” he commands as he gives Tony some space.

“I like where this is going,” Tony quips, but does as ordered. Bucky glances from Tony’s fingers as they work the belt through the loops to Tony’s chest, his body tense in anticipation for any sudden moves.

Tony does nothing but finally slip the belt free and hand it over to Bucky. Bucky grabs the belt and slides it through his hand, gripping tight. There’s no cracks or stiff spots, nothing to indicate that it’s anything other than a piece of leather for which Tony no doubt overpaid.

“Hands out,” Bucky commands next, and Tony does. Bucky wraps the belt around Tony’s wrists and then cinches it tight. Tony doesn’t flinch, even when Bucky makes sure to pull past the point of comfort. Instead, Tony meets his gaze steadily, and it’s Bucky who looks away first. Those warm brown eyes are too familiar and too close, and Bucky takes a step back and brandishes the gun.

“To the kitchen,” he continues, gruff.

Tony heads to the kitchen without a word. Bucky keeps one step behind him as Tony goes over to the oven. Tony turns it off and opens the door. With fingers pinched around the aluminum foil wrapping, Tony tosses the package inside onto the countertop. Bucky watches, his heart aching, as Tony grabs a plate from the cupboard and unpacks the tacos onto it. He even grabs Bucky a Diet Coke from the fridge and sets everything up on the island across from Bucky’s usual barstool. Tony’s movements are inefficient given his hands are still tied, but they’re familiar and comfortable in Bucky’s kitchen.

Bucky takes his seat and, after a moment, sets the gun on the table after turning the safety back on. Poison isn’t Tony’s style, and these are fantastic tacos. Still...

He waves Tony forward and offers the first bite. Tony doesn’t hesitate to lean in and bite, veggies and salsa running down his chin as he pulls away.

“Not like you to be so generous,” Tony says as he licks his lips and wipes his face.

Bucky waits to make sure Tony swallowed everything before he opens up one of the hot sauce packets that Tony had piled to the side. He drizzles it all over the taco, and then offers it up to Tony for another bite.

“You are cruel,” Tony says, eyeing the taco. “What if I swear I didn’t poison anything?”

“Eat,” Bucky commands, anxiety and pettiness mixing in his stomach. He knows that Tony can’t handle the hot sauce, and Tony knows that he knows. But poisoning the hot sauce would be smart, and Bucky is all too aware of how brilliant Tony is. Bucky really should be dead, honestly.

Tony winces but takes an obligatory bite, big enough that Bucky can’t fault him. Tony chews, sucking air through gritted teeth before he swallows.

“Satisfied?” Tony pants, as tears gather in his eyes.

“Not nearly,” Bucky comments, letting a pleased smile spread across his face. He swipes a drop of sauce on the corner of Tony’s lips with his thumb and slips it into his mouth. At least now he can enjoy his tacos without worrying about poison - just about Tony leaping for his gun. He takes a bite out of the taco and sighs as the heat and flavor bursts across his tongue. He finishes the one in his hands in three quick bites.

Tony stands next to him, still sucking air into his mouth. Bucky cracks open his Diet Coke and takes a long, refreshing sip, all while eyeing Tony’s flushed face. Bucky sets the can back down. Tony whines, but Bucky just smiles.

Bucky eats the remaining tacos, slathered in hot sauce, while offering Tony random bites of each. By the end, tears freely stream down Tony’s face as Bucky sips on his drink.

“I hate you,” Tony coughs out.

Bucky smirks, pleased with himself. Stomach now full, all he wants is to fall asleep in his bed for at least twelve hours. He hands the last of the Diet Coke over to Tony, who gulps it down. Then Bucky grabs the gun. He waits until Tony sets the can back down before he pushes the barrel under Tony’s chin.

“Why are you here,” Bucky says, because he can’t sleep unless Tony is dead or is far away from him. And apparently he doesn’t want the first option as much as he thought he did just an hour ago.

“Is it so hard to believe that I miss you?” Tony asks quietly.

Bucky pushes the gun into Tony’s skin harder, daring Tony with his stare.

“Is it?” Tony repeats, staring into Bucky’s eyes. “That I’d trade... that I’d give _a lot_ just have another chance? Just a little bit more time?”

“You really think I’d believe that?” Bucky asks, and he flips the safety off. He sees Tony flinch at the click and continues to glare. He can’t let himself be this stupid to believe it, he can’t.

“I want out,” Tony voices, hoarse. “I’ll flip. Take me in, do whatever you have to, but I can’t do what they want anymore. After what I almost did to Steve -”

Bucky digs the gun in, hard enough to click Tony’s jaw shut. It’s a reminder that Tony almost got his hands on Steve, that Bucky was the idiot who put Steve at risk.

Tony remains frozen until Bucky finally relaxes enough so that Tony can open his mouth. “Right, exactly,” Tony breathes out. “I can’t - I can’t do that. I want out, Bucky. I’ll prove myself however you want.”

Bucky takes in Tony’s words, takes in those brown eyes. He wishes he knew more about how Clint flipped Natasha. Did Clint imagine all the ways it could blow up in his face? Or was he confident that it would work?  Because right now Bucky has to try hard to not think of the last time he’d been in bed with Tony, trapping Tony in his arms to that he couldn’t escape and go get any of the waffles Steve was yelling about in the kitchen - not until Tony had finally tickled Bucky into submission.

Exhaustion swallows him and all Bucky wants is to slip back into that moment again. He would give… _a lot_ for that moment again. But not Steve.

“You’ll come to SHIELD,” Bucky dictates, gathering enough energy to maintain his glare at Tony.

“Yes,” Tony says, trying to nod but limited by Bucky’s gun still under his chin. Bucky moves it so that the barrel rests against Tony’s lips instead.

“Shut up,” he growls. “You come to SHIELD, and they’ll clear you or not. If you pass, then you either stay and promise to protect Steve with your life - or you disappear forever,” he lays out. Then he lies. “I don’t care which.”

Tony kisses the barrel of the Glock before he pulls back enough to whisper, “Done.”

Bucky’s body lights up, with Tony’s eyes and his lips - practically begging. “You’re so fucking shameless,” he scorns, but he moves the gun aside so he can yank Tony in for a bruising kiss. He has energy enough for this, because now Bucky knows it may be the last time. He doesn’t know what SHIELD is going to do, but he damn well knows what he wants to do to Tony before that.

What Bucky wants is not gentle. He bites at Tony’s lips until Tony opens and lets Bucky sweep into his mouth. It’s more a punishment than anything else, and Bucky tries not to enjoy the kiss, not yet, as he focuses on causing as much damage as possible. When he tastes blood, Bucky purrs in satisfaction. He pulls back, panting. Drops of blood bead on the surface of Tony’s split lip, and Tony’s tongue flicks out to lick them away.

“Whatever you want,” Tony pants as he clutches at Bucky’s shirt. He’s half-sprawled across Bucky, still sitting on his barstool. He doesn’t make a movement toward the gun, or any of Bucky’s knives. “Please. Please, just…”

He’s so fucking stupid and he deserves to get shot. “I hate you,” Bucky growls and then pulls Tony back in for another kiss.

Tony lip bleeds into both of their mouths, but Bucky doesn’t care. He clutches Tony to him, Tony’s hands gripping him in return. Bucky isn’t even surprised when Tony slips the leather handcuffs and lets his hands roam freely under Bucky’s shirt.

Bucky stands, keeping Tony in his arms and pressing him back against the counter. He’s exhausted and stressed and aching, and Bucky isn’t sure that he can actually fuck Tony right now, not how he wants, but he’s certainly going to try.

Tony’s fingers slip over his skin, and Bucky moans into Tony’s mouth. Then he shudders when Tony does that slick move with his tongue while he digs his fingers into Bucky’s ass. Having Tony in his arms again, pressed up against him, is overwhelming and Bucky is helpless to rutting up against Tony’s thigh.

“Bucky,” Tony sighs into Bucky’s skin as he nips his way up Bucky’s jaw.

Bucky’s phone buzzes in his left pocket, and he flings curses at whoever it is.

“Ignore it,” Tony whines before he blows a hot breath into Bucky’s ear and licks the shell.

Bucky shivers, but pulls out his phone to at least see who it’s from. Natasha. He uses his fingerprint to unlock the message, and the three words cause ice to fill his veins.

 _Get back here_.

Something is wrong back at SHIELD, back with Steve. Is Tony a distraction? Bucky can’t take the risk, not again, that he is. He grabs his gun and slams the butt into Tony’s temple. Tony falls to the floor, unconscious which means he doesn’t see Bucky’s hand shake as he aims the gun at Tony’s head and thinks about pulling the trigger.

Instead, Bucky texts Natasha back. _On my way_.


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky drops Tony off for interrogation and goes to hunt down Natasha. It turns out to be unnecessary, because she finds him before he gets two steps away from Tony’s unconscious body being carried away by two other agents. 

Natasha takes one glance behind him at Tony and snorts. 

“Don’t ask,” Bucky sighs.

“I don’t need to,” Natasha replies, one eyebrow arched. 

Bucky quickly wipes his mouth, but doesn’t see any flakes of dried blood on his hand. There was no hiding the state of Tony’s mouth, though, and Natasha is definitely capable of connecting the dots.

“He said he wanted out, maybe join up with SHIELD instead,” he offers.

Natasha hums. “Stane’s forces are moving. It’s why I called you back. We don’t have a pattern yet, but there’s been too many people missing from where we expect for it to be an accident.”

Bucky sighs. “So he played me again.” He rubs his face and wonders if after this is all over whether he’ll still have a job. Will they kick him out of the apartment to give Steve another agent roommate? Will he still be able to get drinks with Natasha and Clint if he’s no longer a fellow spy? What is he supposed to job-hunt for as an ex-soldier and ex-spy? Can he put SHIELD on a resume? 

Natasha doesn’t bother confirming his fuck up. Instead she reaches into one of the hidden pockets in her bodysuit and hands over two tiny purple pills in the palm of her hand. “You might want these,” she says.

“I love you,” Bucky groans as he scoops up the pills and pops them into his mouth. He swallows them dry before he bothers asking, “What do I owe you?” The energy pills were the result of a now-closed research study due to too much overdosing - two heart attacks and five failed missions from twitchy fingers - but someone had to be manufacturing them for the SHIELD blackmarket because Natasha always had a few on her. Which she gives out, for a price.

“At this point, more than you have,” Natasha returns with a small smile. “Be careful with your kidneys until I collect.”

Bucky rolls his eyes, but takes a mental note to bring in more chocolate for his desk for her to steal. That is, if he still has a job after this. 

The agents start stripping Tony for a body search that Bucky could watch on the monitors, but he decides that he isn’t up for it. He’ll find out later, when he’s ready, if Tony had any surprises for him if Bucky had gotten around to pulling off his clothes earlier. “Is Steve on lockdown or something?” he asks as he walks away.

Natasha follows him. “Yes. He’s with Fury, and there’s about twenty agents standing guard.”

“Is Clint one of them?”

“Obviously.”

Bucky knows, because Natasha certainly wouldn’t have left Steve alone without someone more reliable than the average agent to stand guard - especially not while it’s officially her shift now - but he can’t help double-checking. He might need a refresher course on everything, really. Check that his gun is loaded, that he tied his shoelaces, that he doesn’t get duped by an enemy agent a third time.

He is definitely fired, which wouldn’t matter all that much except  _ Steve _ . Steve is going to kill him, for losing his job as well as giving Tony the chance to open his mouth. Though Bucky suspects that Steve hates Tony less for trying to kidnap him (and getting him locked in SHIELD for a few weeks) and more for hurting Bucky, the idiot.

“They aren’t going to let you in,” Natasha warns him.

Bucky stops and whirls around. “And you want me to do what, stand around and wait? You’re the one who called me back here, Nat.”

“Not to be an idiot,” Natasha sighs before she strides down a hallway to the right.

Bucky rolls his eyes and follows her, wishing the energy pills would kick in already. Natasha enters a room on the left, and Bucky walks in behind her to see Bruce sitting in front of a computer that scrolled code faster than Bucky can follow. The rest of the computer screens were black, the chairs empty, and Bucky raises an eyebrow as Natasha takes a seat at one. 

“I texted you because you would throw a tantrum if we let you sleep while Steve might be in danger,” Natasha explains as she logs in and accesses the server. “Also because you’re the most familiar with the enemy, and so you should make yourself useful by looking over the current analysis.”

“You think because I had sex with one of their agents that I’m going to be able to know their battle plans? Catch their strategies like some kind of STD?” Bucky grumbles as he collapses into a chair.

Bruce tries to turn a chuckle into a cough, and Natasha glares at both of them. But then she trains her glare solely on Bucky - not unfair, as Bruce quickly goes back to typing - and she warns, “I don’t have to tell you when Coulson’s interrogation begins.”

“Coulson’s going to interrogate Tony?” Bucky asks, perking up. He should maybe be worried about what Tony is going to reveal about Bucky and their relationship, but mostly he grins as he thinks of Tony facing down Coulson.

Natasha sniffs and goes back to her screen, and Bucky wonders if she’s judging him for his excitement or simply offended that it’s not her doing the interrogation. 

He turns back to his computer with a sigh. “So if I’m looking at the analysis, what are you doing?”

“Regretting my life choices,” Bruce drawls before heaving a long sigh. 

Natasha snorts. “You didn’t have to kick them all out.”

Bruce hums and takes a drink from the coffee cup next to him, his eyes not looking away from the screen. “Not what I meant, but thanks for the reminder.”

Bucky smirks as Natasha goes back to her computer without comment. He knows Bruce is under some duress to work at SHIELD for some reasons that are above Bucky’s pay-grade, but he’s pieced enough together to know Natasha had something to do with bringing Bruce in. It must be some story though to get such a non-reaction out of Natasha, though. 

Natasha glares at Bucky, and he busies himself opening the files that contained the latest updates on Stane and their movements. It’s not much. Other than specific details of movements - boiling down to agents not being where they usually were - there isn’t much more that’s known about the situation than what Natasha has told him. 

If Bucky hadn’t brought Tony in, this wouldn’t have been anything at all. Not shooting him might save Bucky a job, really, if Coulson gets something out of Tony. Bucky feels his stomach twist, and he blames it on the energy pills finally kicking in. 

“This is nothing,” Bucky complains as he sits back in the chair.

“Welcome to SHIELD,” Bruce mutters as he continues to scan his screen. “Find the needle in a field of hay and we won’t even give you a magnet.”

“Is there a problem, Dr. Banner?” Natasha asks politely.

“No, not at all,” Bruce replies with a snort. “I enjoy being forced to work for a government agency that takes me away from my research to try to defend against cyber attack because they can’t hire competent tech support.”

“We have agents-” Natasha starts.

“I said  _ competent _ , Agent Romanoff,” Bruce cuts off. “Those guys that I scared off don’t qualify. You want protection against what you think is coming? You better hope I’m not your backup plan.”

Adrenaline shoots through Bucky’s body, and he expends energy on keeping himself still rather than vibrating out of his seat. Natasha face gives nothing away, but he doubts she’s surprised. Bucky is, though, and he waits for her to meet his gaze before he levels a full-force glare.

Her phone vibrates, and Natasha breaks his gaze to check the message. Face blank, she stands. “Dr. Banner, please continue doing your best. We aren’t sure when, or even if, anything is going to happen, but we all appreciate your efforts.”

Bruce scoffs but he continues analyzing the code, his fingers flying on the keys. 

“You,” Natasha orders Bucky, “with me.”

Bucky stands and follows her out of the room, lengthening his stride to keep pace. “How deep a hole are we in right now?” he asks her, voice low.

Natasha gives him a hard glance out of the corner of her eye. “Stark is awake, and Coulson wants to talk to you before he begins the interrogation.”

Bucky swallows and takes the re-direction for the answer it is.

 

Bucky waits with Natasha and several other agents behind the glass. The light from the adjoined room and a screen showing the camera recording of the same area provide the only illumination. Tony, dressed in a bright orange jumper, sits at the table bolted to the floor with his hands cuffed to the top. The bruise on his temple is a mottled purple and yellow, and blood seeps down his chin from the split lip he keeps worrying. 

Bucky keeps his breaths even and steels himself as Coulson enters the room. 

Coulson sits and leans forward to rest his folded hands on the table. “Hello, Mr. Stark.” 

“Call me Tony,” Tony insists with a wide smile smoothly spreading across face even as his lip rips open wider. He leans back in the chair, leaving his hands stretched out onto the table. “What can I do for you, Agent? I’m afraid I don’t have any water or snacks to offer you. I’m a poor host.”

“Then it’s a good thing you aren’t the one hosting, Mr. Stark,” Coulson returns smoothly. 

“Ah, yes, that’s right! That makes you the terrible host. Not even some pretzels? Though I’m partial to blueberries.”

“I’ll make a note,” Coulson replies, still relaxed into his pose. 

“I can make a list, if that would be easier,” Tony offers. “Bottled waters aren’t created equal, and all that, though if you wanted to go above and beyond I could recommend a fantastic scotch -”

“That won’t be necessary,” Coulson interrupts. He lets silence sit between them for moment after moment, and Bucky watches as Tony stays relaxed but smile growing more and more brittle. Tony doesn’t do well with silence, Bucky had told Coulson, but also that Tony can talk for hours and end up saying nothing. Bucky had recounted how Tony had said that he wanted to come in, to switch sides, so he shouldn’t dance around the issue too much if that is true.

_ “Do you think that he was telling the truth?” Coulson asks. _

_ Bucky licks his lips, glad that Natasha is outside at the moment. “I don’t know,” he admits. As Coulson continues to look at him - and wow, he doesn’t envy Tony facing that down in five minutes - Bucky clarifies, “He didn’t attack me. He left himself vulnerable, multiple times. Without Natasha’s warning, I would’ve brought him in handcuffed but conscious.”  _

_ Coulson nods in acknowledgement, still staring down Bucky. Bucky shifts his weight, aware that the fact that he hadn’t taken advantage of several opportunities to take down Tony was being filed in Coulson’s memory.  _

_ “Any weaknesses that you know of?” Coulson asks, his voice level. _

_ Water. There had been no shower sex, which Bucky didn’t push because it can be annoying when he needs to actually wash his hair. But Tony refused to go swimming, not even when Bucky would drag him to the beach. It’s not a lot to go on, but Bucky would bet that anything with water had the potential to terrify Tony.  _

_ But can Bucky tell SHIELD, who will never forget, if Tony really did want to switch sides?  _

_ “Let me think about it,” Bucky replies, scrunching his face to pretend he was thinking.  _

_ “Tell me if you think of anything,” is all Coulson says. Bucky isn’t sure he’s fooled him, but Coulson only nods and heads into the interrogation room where Tony waits. _

Tony sighs and breaks the silence. “Alright, why don’t we get this show on the road? I’m here to be interrogated, so go ahead and ask me your questions before I die of old age. What do you want?”

“Let’s start with what you want, Mr. Stark.”

Tony cocks his head and smiles. “Weren’t you listening? I said I want to know what you want to ask me. I’m a very interesting person, I know; I’ll bet you have a lot of questions.”

“I do,” Coulson admits, still remaining in his relaxed pose with a calm voice. “Why don’t we start with why you told Agent Barnes that you wanted to join SHIELD?”

“Agent Barnes,” Tony purrs, “is very convincing.”

The other agents in the room - except for Natasha - shoot Bucky a quick glance. Bucky doesn’t acknowledge them or even twitch, but he stares at Tony through the glass wishing his gaze alone would set him on fire. 

“Would you care to elaborate?” Coulson asks.

Tony chuckles and lounges like being handcuffed to the table is the height of comfort. “You really want the details? I suppose I could guess that you don’t see enough action, not in that suit. And even better, this is recorded so you can rewatch at your convenience later, huh?”

Tony grins at the camera and then winks. Bucky clenches his fists, but refuses to leave. If this is Tony’s form of payback for being pistol-whipped, Bucky can take it. 

“Why don’t we move to why you want to leave your work with Obadiah Stane?” Coulson continues.

“The pay sucks and the working conditions are horrible,” Tony shoots back. 

“I’m flattered you think SHIELD has better benefits,” Coulson replies. “But right now you are failing this job interview, if that is what you want this to be. So why don’t you try another answer to that question?”

Tony sighs. “Fine, you got me. My original objective was to capture Steve Rogers. I met the guy, I liked the guy, and now I don’t want to hand him over to the bad guys. Stane didn’t tell me his plans, but I can guess he wasn’t aiming for world peace if he got ahold of Rogers’ brain.” Tony meets Coulson’s gaze, his face serious. “Classic spy failure 101, getting attached to your target. Hire me and use me if you want, but I’m not returning to Stane.”

“Then you waiting at the apartment for Agent Rogers?”

Bucky frowns. 

“I wasn’t lying in wait for Rogers. Why, do you let him waltz around like usual after an attempted kidnapping? We already covered how I’m much more  _ familiar _ with Barnes.”

“Then we have a problem, Mr. Stark,” Coulson says. Except for his mouth, Bucky doesn’t think Coulson has moved a muscle since he sat down. “You originally targeted Agent Barnes to get close to Agent Rogers. After recent events, the logical assumption is that we’ve kept Agent Rogers here at SHIELD for the time being, which means you no longer had access. Once again, you’ve targeted Agent Barnes to get you here, into SHIELD, to possibly get close to Agent Rogers. I assume your plan is to once again try to kidnap Agent Rogers, and I refuse to let that happen.”

Tony screws up his face in amusement. “You think, what, that I volunteered myself to be tied up and interrogated on the chance that I can break out and kidnap Rogers?” Tony laughs. “If SHIELD is really that incompetent, then I withdraw my application.”

“I know what you are capable of, Mr. Stark,” Coulson returns. “Do not think we will make the mistake of underestimating you. Your plans end here, in this room. Now, if you would like to be useful, why don’t you expound on those plans Stane may have for Agent Rogers?”

Coulson remains relaxed and easy, while Tony remains rigid, staring. Bucky smirks as Tony is left without words, even as his stomach twists because he may have once again played right into Tony’s plans. Though intentionally getting stuck in SHIELD’s interrogations cells was a very, very stupid plan. 

Natasha’s phone dings, and she captures Bucky’s attention when she goes absolutely still at the message. She glances at him before slipping out the door, and Bucky follows. Instead of heading for the upper levels, though, Natasha knocks on the door to Tony’s interrogation room.

A few moments later, Coulson slips outside.

“Sorry to interrupt, but we have the same problem as before,” Natasha informs, voice low. 

Coulson frowns, and Bucky stares. “The same problem?” Coulson asks.

Natasha nods, and Coulson hums. “That’s unexpected,” he admits.

Bucky bites back his questions, because he’s already in the dog house, but anger roils in his stomach. He works for a spy organization and even before that got used to taking orders without question, but the ‘you’re not allowed to know this’ secrecy has never sat well with him. 

“Get to Rogers,” Coulson orders. “I’ll check the perimeter,” he says and then ducks into the room with the other SHIELD agents recording Tony. 

Natasha strides down the hallway and Bucky pauses for only a half-second before he follows her. 

“Going to give me a hint as to what we’re up against?” Bucky can’t resist asking. 

Natasha increases her pace, and Bucky follows. When the elevator closes with them alone, Natasha finally says, “I’m not sure.”

“That because you’re not in front of a computer waiting for a cyber-attack?” Bucky asks, and Natasha’s clenched jaw answers that for him. “You think it’s Stane.”

Natasha bites out, “Someone has been in our system, for days, before we finally figured it out. Now we’re experiencing a cyber attack.” She steps into Bucky’s space, but Bucky doesn’t step back. “So get your head out of your ass and pick a side, or do you not care about whether Stane gets his hands on Steve?”

The elevator doors open, and Bucky shoves Natasha out. “Back the fuck off,” he snarls as he takes over the lead toward getting to Fury’s office, the only possible location Steve could be if he’s on this floor. As he nears the door, agents step in front of him. 

“Let us through,” Natasha orders, stepping in front of Bucky. She flashes her badge, and they part. A fraction of Bucky forgives her, even if most of him still resents the hell out of her accusations that he wouldn’t do right by Steve, but at least she lets him follow her into Fury’s office.

“Steve,” Bucky sighs in relief as he sees him sitting in a chair opposite Fury’s desk, files in hand. Fury himself sits at his desk, turning from his computer screen to face them, and Clint, the only other agent in the room, has tucked himself into a corner and is twirling an arrow. 

“Agents,” Fury greets with a frown. His eye evaluates Bucky, but Bucky switches his attention with relief over to Steve as he leaps from his seat .

“Bucky!” Steve strides over to grab him in a hug, his head coming just to Bucky’s shoulders. Bucky gives Steve a quick squeeze back before Steve backs up to scold. “They told me Stark was waiting for you back home. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Bucky assures with a wink. “And Coulson is making Stark sweat right now in interrogation. You should watch the tapes.”

“Good,” Steve concludes, crossing his arms. “I will.”

“That means that Stark isn’t the one in our systems,” Natasha tells Fury. 

“Unless it’s a delayed virus,” Fury points out, his hands coming together on his desk. “This could be the distraction he’d been planning on to run rampant in SHIELD.”

“Banner would’ve found it,” Natasha argues.

“Quite the vote of confidence, Agent Romanov.” The voice bursts out from Fury’s computer. Natasha twitches, but Bucky can’t blame her as his hands immediately go to his weapons. 

“Is she wrong?” Fury asks.

A staticy sigh comes through the speaker. “Chances are rather high that I would’ve found it when I was tracking the leak.”

“Is this line secure enough for this?” Steve asks.

“Doesn’t matter much at this point. If I can’t head this thing off, in ten minutes none of SHIELD communications will be secure,” Banner informs them, voice tight. 

“Keep calm, Dr. Banner. We aren’t so completely reliant on technology that our agents can’t handle some old-fashioned spy games,” Fury says calmly.

A laugh bursts through the speakers. “Tell that to the targeting programs on your missiles.”

“Missiles?” Steve echoes, staring down Fury. 

Bucky steps up behind Steve, keeping one eye on Natasha and the other on Clint who has yet to move from his corner. At the attention, Clint wiggles his eyebrows at Bucky and so Bucky flips him off behind Steve’s back. 

“Oops, was that classified?” Banner drawls, and Bucky wishes he had the security in his job that Banner seems to. Or maybe that type of confidence comes from wishing you could get fired from SHIELD.

“Just do your best, Dr. Banner, and we’ll do ours,” Fury says while he steadily meets Steve’s accusatory stare.

Static bursts echo from the speakers, pulling Bucky’s attention away from where Natasha was shifting her stance. Voices filter through, but Bucky can’t make out the words. Fury turns up the sound, leaning closer to his computer, but then it goes quiet. 

Fury makes a hand signal at Natasha who pulls out her phone and starts whispering orders into it.

“While I have the utmost respect for Dr. Banner,” a voice comes through, loud and clear, and Bucky stiffens as he recognizes Tony, “his best just simply isn’t as good as mine. At least not at coding. I’m a huge fan of your work, though, don’t get me wrong. Your research on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled.”

Natasha starts whispering orders quicker and with more force. 

“So you admit this is your work, Stark?” Fury asks. His voice is calm, but Bucky can see where Fury’s knuckles turn pale as they’re clenched on his desk.

“Of course it is. Do you know anyone else capable of this type of genius?” Tony asks.

Coulson strides the door, phone at his ear and tie slightly askew. “Director. I regret to inform you that Stark has escaped from interrogation.”

“Thank you, Agent Coulson,” Fury returns. “I am aware.”

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos & comments are very much appreciated!  
> 


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